Heart Invasion 101
by BloodyLastWords
Summary: Spike gets a job with the local DJ, Vinyl Scratch. However, a close knit friendship soon develops as they learn more about each other.
1. Help Wanted

It was a beautiful day in Ponyville. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and an epic battle between dragon and pony was taking place.

"Oh, c'mon, Twilight! Please?"

"No, Spike. For the last time, that is a ridiculous waste of bits!"

Spike looked down at the advertisement in his hand for a new keyboard/sound system combo set. "It's not a waste of bits. It comes with a new Maretronix Keyboard, two twelve inch sound bars, six surround sound stereo speakers, and a twenty-four inch mega subwoofer! Do you know how amazing the sound emanating from this will be?!" He threw his arms out, thrusting the advertised picture in the face of the purple unicorn.

"Spike, you don't need it, though. And what's wrong with the keyboard you have now?" She roughly pushed the paper out of her face.

"Well, for one, it doesn't have an amazing surround sound system with it. And, two, it's like... old! Trust me. There's a huge difference!" The young dragon gave his biggest puppy dog eyes.

"Spike, that's not gonna work." She gave her assistant an unamused look. "And besides, even if you did need this sound system…thingy, seven hundred bits-"

"Six-hundred and ninety-nine bits!"

"Fine, six-hundred and ninety-nine bits, is way too expensive! Do you know how long ponies have to work to make that much?"

Spike slumped down on their living room floor. "A long time?"

"Yes. Now, if you really want this, you're going to have to buy it yourself." She sent a matter of fact look in his direction.

"And how am I supposed to do that?" He gave her an annoyed stare.

"Hmm, why don't you sell some of the gems that Rarity gives you for helping her?"

"What? No way! Those are special!" He said, defensively.

"Well, excuse me. I thought you didn't have a crush on her anymore." She flashed a slight smile.

"Well, I don't, but still… Those were gifts, and she's my best friend! You wouldn't sell one of your books from Celestia, would you?"

Twilight's stomach jumped at the mere thought of parting with one of her mentor's gifts. "Point taken." She quickly cast the thought away from her mind.

"Yea, that's what I thought." Spike rolled his thoughts around in his mind. "What if I got a job?"

"A job? But Spike, you work here already." Twilight gave him a surprised look.

"But you don't pay me." Spike gave her an unamused face.

"Spike, I do pay you. I give you place to live, make sure there's food, and I even give you bits to go out with friends, occasionally. And besides, you don't know the first thing about getting a job!"

Spike jumped back to his feet. "Well, you know what? I can easily get a job. I'm gonna go out and buy my keyboard combo pack without your help! Just you wait and see!" With a final smirk toward his long-time caregiver, he turned away from her and headed for the front door.

"Wait, Spike. You're going already? You don't want to rush into this, Spike." Twilight said, a slight motherly tinge in her voice.

"Sorry. A rolling dragon gathers no moss!... or something like that." He quickly opened the door and made his exit.

"Do you even know any places that are hiring? You might need some help!" She called after the dragon. He was too far away now to hear her, however. "Or not…" With a slight sigh, Twilight headed back to her study to continue the research she had started earlier.

"I need help!" Spike had been wandering in and out of every shop in Ponyville, trying to find a place willing to hire him. And he always got the same answer. 'We're not hiring', 'dragons are bad for business', or they'd just look at his size and laugh. He didn't exactly look his age.

Spike stood in the middle of town square, channeling his thoughts. Alright. I need help with this. I need a job, and I don't know where to get one. I need help from a pony I trust, and who can actually help me with this. Spike rolled his thoughts around for a moment, before arriving at a conclusion. …And I know just who to talk to!

Spike arrived at the Carousel Boutique, and firmly rapped his claw on the door.

"One minute!" He heard the musically accented sound of Rarity's voice call out, before the door gently opened, revealing the beautiful white unicorn herself. "Who is- Oh, Spike! Do come in darling!" Rarity quickly opened the door fully, ushering the dragon inside.

Taking a seat on the couch, Spike quickly got to the matter at hand. "Rarity, I need your help."

Seating herself next to him, Rarity's eyes instantly widened at Spike's statement. "You need my help? Whatever is the matter, Spike?"

"Well, me and Twilight got into a bit of an argument, and-"

"Oh, dear! It wasn't anything serious was it?" She said, cutting off his sentence.

"Well, not really. It was just-"

"Because you know you're always welcome to stay with me for a time when you two need some distance!" She gave the young dragon a friendly smile, and gently patted his claw.

"Thanks, Rares, but it's nothing like that. I just wanted Twilight to buy something for me, but she refused. She said a new keyboard was, and I quote, 'a complete waste of bits'." He made quotation marks with his claws, his voice filled with sarcasm

"Oh, Spike, I'm sorry. Twilight can be a bit insensitive about things sometimes," she said, with a nod of understanding. "How much is this, um, keyboard, was it?" Rarity wasn't too familiar with everything involved with the rising musical industry, but perhaps she could help him with this endeavor.

"Six-hundred and ninety-nine bits." Spike laughed sheepishly.

Rarity's eyes widened in shock. "Well, I suppose I can see Twilight's point to an extent."

Spike simply rolled his eyes in response. "Yea, I know it's expensive. But it's totally worth it! But the only way, I'm ever gonna get it is if I buy it myself, and to do that I need a job. That's what I need your help with." He turned his gaze to the unicorn, giving her a hopeful grin.

"Well, Spike, of course I'll help you! That's a very mature step you're taking. Now, have you applied anywhere yet?" She cocked her head slightly.

"Heh, you could say that. I've tried Sofa and Quills, Sugarcube Corner, City Hall… a bunch of places, and I always get the same response. Rejection." He cast his gaze down to the floor.

"Hmm, well, I think I know what the problem is. I'll be right back, dear." Rarity quickly got up and went into a different room.

Spike stayed on the couch, mind travelling to what remedy the unicorn could bring to fix his situation. His thoughts were cut short however, when she returned a few seconds later, levitating a newspaper above her head.

"Alright, Spike. Have you ever looked at the 'classifieds' section in the newspaper before?" The white mare quickly took her seat next to the dragon again, and flipped through the pages of the newspaper until she arrived at the aforementioned section.

"Um, I can't say that I have. Twilight doesn't allow the newspaper to get delivered to our house. Something about newspaper articles and fanfiction being the end of intelligent literature as we know it." Spike shrugged, and turned his gaze to the open document in front of him.

"That sounds like Twilight," Rarity chuckled to herself. "Anyhow, this section is a list of employers that are hiring workers at the moment, and the skills they look for in an employee!"

"Wow, this sounds like just what I need! Umm, I don't suppose you'd be willing to help me with this, would you?" Spike asked, with a slight sense of pleading.

"Of course, dear. You don't even need to ask. Now, let's see what we have here…" The two browsed through the various job advertisements. "There's an opening at the spa for a mud bath custodian… no, that doesn't sound like its right for you. How does one even clean a mud bath?" Rarity and Spike both laughed at the idea.

"What about this? 'Musician's Assistant Needed – No Experience Necessary'. That sounds perfect!" Spike sported a huge grin, while pointing to the job ad.

"Let me see." Rarity quickly scanned over the full description of the job.

_Assistant needed for an up and coming DJ, aka, me. Position requires basic errand running, help setting up and preparing for shows, and basically doing what I tell you. Benefits include backstage passes for all shows and performances, food and beverages, and travel. Work is primarily on nights and weekends, and I pay bits, too._

_For full details, ask for 'Vinyl Scratch' at Ponyville Music and Sound._

Spike couldn't believe it. Not only was there an excellent job opportunity in front of him, but it revolved around one of his favourite subjects – music! "Rarity, this is it! This is totally the job for me!" Spike began involuntarily jumping up and down in his seat.

"Now, hold on for a moment," she said, using her magic to levitate him back down. "I'll admit, this does sound like a great job for you, but you should probably speak with the employer about the specifics before making any final decisions. I mean, what if the schedule gets in the way of prior engagements. I mean, you help Twilight still, and I'd certainly hope you'll still be able to come and visit me, from time to time." She gave him her signature sweet smile.

"Don't worry, Rarity. The schedule will apparently be on nights and weekends, so it won't interfere with my chores at the library." 'Not that Twilight appreciates them anyway', he mumbled to himself. "And of course I'll still visit you. You're my best friend, and that comes first." He leaned over and gave the unicorn a tight hug.

"Alright, Spike, but I'm holding you to that," she said, gently unwrapping her hooves from around the drake. "Now, where did it say to meet the employer?"

"Uhh, 'Ponyville Music and Sound'. I think that's actually the store that sent me the advertisement for the equipment I want." This kept getting better and better.

"Oh, yes, I know that shop. One of my clients, Octavia Melody, recently opened it."

Spike quickly got up from the seat, and headed for the door. "Well Rarity, I'm gonna head out. I want to get there before someone else does."

"Alright, Spike. Do you know the way?" Spike shook his head in response. "Okay, you go to town square, take a left at Sofa and Quills, and it's behind City Hall. Understood?"

"Yea, thanks!" The unicorn got up and gave him a quick hug. "You're awesome, Rarity! Wish me luck, alright?"

"Definitely! Go get 'em, Spike!" She gave a final wave and smile as he darted out the door.

Spike made a decision right then and there that he would never get directions from Rarity again. Ever. The way she told him led to a particularly boring patch of grass, and he spent the next hour scouring the town for this building, only to find it was merely one building away from the Carousel Boutique itself.

"Well, here goes nothing." Spike took a deep breath and stepped into the mid-sized building.

As soon as his eyes made contact with the inside of the store, he was flabbergasted. The store was basically one large room outfitted wall to wall with music accessories.

It was heaven!

There were all kinds of guitars hanging on the walls, ranging from classic style acoustics to modern electric, drum kits spread across the room, keyboards, amplifiers, sheet music – if it was related to music, it was here.

It was all Spike could do to not have a fan boy attack on site. He strongly repressed his desire to play around with every instrument he saw, even the ones he had no idea how to play. But he had a mission to complete, and time was valuable.

"Alright, I need to find this, 'Vinyl Scratch', pony. I wonder what they look like." Spike realized the job description gave no clue as to who the employer was. He didn't even know what gender they were. "I suppose I should find an employee and ask."

The dragon looked around until he spotted the front counter, and he began to make his way over to it. However, something quickly caught his eye.

"No way!" Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the album section of the store. And it was a massive selection. 'Okay, I've got to take a quick look, and then I'll get back to the mission,' he told himself, as he travelled over to the musical banquet before him.

His eyes grew wider the more he browsed. "Oh my gosh, they have everything!" Colt-182, CelestiaShallBurn, A Neigh To Remember, Of Mice & Mares… they had all his favourites! "Wow, I can't believe I've never been here before now." He picked up an interesting looking album and scanned his eyes over it.

"What ya' looking at?"

Spike nearly jumped out of his scales at the sound of another pony behind him. He turned around to find a white unicorn with an electric blue mane looking at him through a pair of stylish sunglasses.

"Oh, I'm just looking at this album. The band is called, 'Everyone Dies In Canterlot'. I've never heard them before." He flipped the case over in his palm, scanning the song titles. "It seems pretty cool."

"Yea, they're alright. Every song is pretty much the same though. Dubstep intro followed by an insane amount of breakdowns. It's probably worth a listen." The mystery pony gave witty smile to the purple dragon.

"Awesome. Unfortunately, I'm broke at the moment." Spike set the album back on the shelf in dejection. "But that's why I'm here. I don't suppose you'd know anyone by the name of Vinyl Scratch?"

The white pony smirked, and gave a suspicious glance at the dragon. "I might. Who's asking?"

"Oh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself! My name's Spike." He quickly gave a traditional gentlemanly bow to the unicorn. "I saw an ad in the paper that said I could meet whoever this pony is here at this music shop and talk about a job. I kinda need one." He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, it's your lucky day. You're looking at her!" The unicorn gave a cocky grin and pushed her glasses up to her forehead revealing a pair of deep magenta eyes.

"Wait, your Vinyl Scratch?" Spike said slightly taken aback.

"Yep, that's me! Ponyville's premier DJ, soon to be Equestria's top star! I hope. Anyway, to the business at hoof, I take it you're interested in my job offer?" She gave him a curious look.

"Uh, yea! I kinda need some extra bits, and frankly, I've got none. And I can't count on my only family to help me when I need something, apparently." Spike sarcastically grumbled the last part.

"Been there, done that. My friend Octavia runs this place, and we've been roommates for a while. But whenever I was broke and asked for something, I got the short end of the stick." She looked up at the ceiling with an annoyed sigh.

"I know right! And it was important, too! I needed a new keyboard and sound system, but she said it was just a waste of money!" Spike threw his arms up in annoyance.

The unicorn's jaw dropped at hearing this. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Anything involving music is never a waste of money! The keyboard is a classic instrument, and a good sound system is important, no, _vital,_ to your music listening experience. She blasphemed my entire profession!"

Spike couldn't help but grin at her words. He'd known her for all of five minutes and he liked her. "Thank you! I'm glad somebody gets it! But, she said I have to buy it myself if I want it, so I need to get a job."

"Hmm, I can probably help you. But, first I gotta ask, what makes you the material I need for an assistant?" She scanned her eyes over him several times.

"Well, I like music, and I'm good at assisting with… stuff." Spike shrugged his shoulders.

"Perfect! You're hired." She stuck out her hoof and gave Spike a firm hoof/claw shake.

"Awesome! Thanks so much!" Spike wildly shook her hoof with excitement.

"And besides, having a dragon around at my shows is bound to turn some heads. I don't think I've ever seen one in society before! That's pretty cool."

She started walking toward the front counter of the store, bidding Spike to follow. "C'mon, Spike. We can discuss the details of the job in the office room back here."

Spike walked with her behind the counter back to a small room where a grey earth pony was sitting at a desk, glancing over some papers.

"Hey, Octavia! I want you to meet someone," Vinyl casually called out, causing the earth pony to glance up from what she was doing. "This is Spike! He's gonna be my new assistant at my shows and stuff!" She pushed him forward with a hoof, forcibly introducing the two.

"Vinyl! He's a dragon!" Octavia shouted, a tinge of fear in her voice.

"Yea, and you're a pony. Take a chill pill, girl. He's cool, and has an excellent taste for music." She gave the dragon a sly wink and playfully elbowed him. "And besides, having a dragon on at gigs with me is bound to build some popularity for me!"

"I suppose that is true," Octavia said, giving a questioning glance at the new assistant. "I suppose I owe you an apology, uh, Spike, was it?"

"Yea, Spike." He gave a graceful bow. "It's nice to meet you, Octavia. You have an awesome store!"

"Oh, well thank you, Spike. I'm hoping to bring some of the musical culture I picked up from Manehatten here to this town." The three heard the sound of a doorbell chime from the store. "Now, if you two will excuse me, I have a customer to attend to. It was wonderful meeting you, Spike." She gave him a polite smile before exiting. She quickly turned around before leaving, however. "I just hope you can handle Vinyl. She's a firecracker." With a chuckle, she turned around and left to attend to whoever had come into the store.

"Alright, Spike, let's talk business." Vinyl slumped down into the desk chair Octavia was previously occupying. "I have a regular job at the local club on weekend nights, and if I'm lucky, I can get booked by other places throughout the week. You know, opening for other artists, playing at parties, stuff like that. As my assistant, you'd of course get passes to all my shows, which includes getting to meet lots of other artists and famous people." She cracked a smile at the dragon.

"Whoa, that sounds awesome!" Spike was elated at the opportunity.

"Yeah, it's pretty sweet, right? Anyway, your job will basically be helping me set up my speakers, amps, microphone, etc. I'll also need your help with booking gigs, filing receipts and stuff. You think you can do that?"

"Pssh, yeah. I do paperwork and stuff like that all the time."

"Awesome. Now, of course, we need to talk bits."

Spike was so psyched by everything else, he almost forgot the base reason he was there. "Oh, yeah. What's the pay rate?"

"Ten percent of what I make from the gig itself, and five percent of all the tips I receive. Sound good?"

It sounded alright, but from what Spike knew, tips were the primary means of cash flow with jobs like this. "It sounds good, but how about twenty percent of the gig price, to make up for the small tip pay?"

Vinyl's mouth contorted into a small grin, and she let out a quick laugh. "Huh, a dragon who knows what he wants? I like that! How about we do fifteen percent of the gig price for the first couple shows while I see what you're capable of, then we'll talk raising it to twenty. Sound fair?"

"Deal!" Spike shook her hoof once again, finalizing the arrangement.

"Alright, it's a deal then. We're gonna have lots of fun, trust me!" She shot a huge grin at the young dragon. "My next show is tomorrow night at the local club, Pop Rocks, alright? I need you there by five to help set up."

"Gotcha. I'll be there!"

"Awesome, bro. Now, go back home and tell whoever your family is that you have a job. That'll show 'em what's up."

"Alright, awesome! Thanks so much, uh, Ms. Scratch?"

"Blech! Call me, Vinyl, please."

"Oh, alright. Thanks, Vinyl! I'll see you tomorrow night!"

"See you then, my friend!" Vinyl lazed back in her chair with her hooves behind her head as her new assistant ran out the door. Her lips turned into a smile while thinking about the small dragon.

"Man, I like that guy."


	2. Smokahontas

Heart Invasion 101 by FamousLastWords

* * *

Smokahontas

It was late in the day when Spike finally returned home.

He had stopped by the Carousel Boutique right away to deliver the good news of his new employment. Rarity was excited for him, but of course made him promise to still stop by from time to time. She also requested he stop by before his first day of work the next day, and she would have a present for him. He wasn't sure what it was, but he was excited either way.

Spike charged through the front door of his library home, a spring in his step and a smile on his face.

"Twilight! Oh, Twiiiilight!" He glanced around the living room, seeing no sign of the unicorn in question.

"Spike, I'm in the study!" Twilight's voice rang out from the next room over.

The young dragon wasted no time in making his way over to the room. He walked in to find her sitting at a desk, engrossed in a rather large book.

"How did your day go, Spike?" She turned her head to face her dragon assistant.

"Well, I went looking for a job."

"And how did the hunt go?" Twilight said, with a slight grin.

"Well, I got rejected at every place I visited…"

"You see, Spike. I told you going off on impulse like that was a bad-"

"But then someone hired me! I have a job now!" Spike jumped up and down in place, letting his excitement loose. "You said I couldn't do it, but I did!"

Twilight's mouth hung slightly agape."Well, I'm impressed, Spike! I honestly thought you wouldn't be able to find one by yourself."

"I didn't actually do it by myself, per say. Rarity kinda helped me." He grinned sheepishly. "But I did all the actual talking and stuff with the employer by myself!"

"Well, that's great, Spike. I still think it was a bit rushed, but at least it worked out. I have to ask, where did you get hired at?" Her eyes widened in curiosity. "Sugarcube Corner?"

"Nope. Guess again." Spike spread a smug grin on his face.

"Sofas and Quills?"

"Wrong."

"The spa?"

"Not even close."

"Oh, c'mon, Spike, there aren't even that many businesses in town for you to get hired at."

"Well, it's not a business, necessarily…"

"Wait. You work for a private employer? Who is it?" Twilight asked. her voice laced with concern.

"Have you ever heard of Vinyl Scratch?"

Twilight stood there contemplatively for a moment. "Wait a second… She's that DJ, right? White unicorn with blue hair?"

"That's the one!"

"What do you do for her?"

"Same thing I do for you. I'm her assistant now. I'll help her at shows, handle appointments… you know, assistant stuff. I get free passes to the clubs she plays at and everything!"

"Wait a minute… You'll be going to dance clubs? On a regular basis?!"

"Yep. This job itself seems way cooler than the keyboard I wanted to get in the first place. I'm so excited. My first show with her is tomorrow night!"

Twilight wasn't sure how to respond. On one hoof, she didn't agree at all with his employment choice. On the other, this was her fault for telling him he needed to earn bits for himself. "Spike, clubs are dangerous. And how much do you even know about this pony? I mean, are you sure you can even trust her as your boss?"

"Well, I know she has awesome music taste." Spike let out a small chuckle. "She was really nice, too. So, yes, I think I can trust her. If you don't believe me, you can talk to Octavia, the mare who owns Ponyville Music. They're good friends from what I could tell."

"Being nice and liking music doesn't make someone trustworthy." Twilight let out a long sigh. "But I did suggest you try to earn bits for yourself, so it would be hypocritical to try and stop you. Just… be careful, alright?"

"Of course, Twilight. I mean, careful is my middle name!" He winked at her with a proud smile.

"No, Spike. Amadeus is your middle name." Twilight let out a small chuckle.

"I thought we agreed you would never use that name!"

"Sorry, Spike, but you stepped right into that one. Now, when did you say your first show was?"

"Five O'clock tomorrow at Pop Rocks."

"And this job won't interfere with your duties around the library, will it?" she said with a scrutinizing look.

"Nope! It's pretty much going to be on weekend nights, so I'll be able to still take care of my chores," he said with a smile.

"Huh. Well, Spike, this definitely looks like an excellent opportunity for you. I'm very proud."

"Thanks, Twi. I think I'm gonna have a lot of fun with this job." Spike quickly hugged Twilight before quickly turning around to exit the room. "Well, it's getting late, so I think I'm gonna turn in early. Have a good night!"

"Alright, Spike, have a good night. I'll see you in the morning." Twilight let out a quick smile before turning back to her book.

After Spike made his exit, Twilight's thoughts began to wander to the mare that Spike would be spending his weekend nights with from now on. "Maybe I will talk to Octavia… just to be safe."

"Oh, Spike, darling! Thank you so much for stopping by!" Rarity quickly led the dragon inside.

"No problem, Rarity. You said you needed to give me something?" Spike glanced at her curiously.

"Yes! Wait right here, will you?" With a quick smile, the unicorn dashed into a different room, leaving Spike confused.

As quick as she left however, she returned, carrying a small brown bag in her magic.

"Here you are, dear!" She levitated the mystery bag to Spike's hands. "Go on, open it!"

Spike carefully looked in the bag, and recoiled slightly at what he found. He pulled out a small black fedora with a dark purple wraparound centerpiece. He placed the hat onto his head, to find that it fit perfectly, head scales and all.

"Do you love it?!" Rarity's eyes grew wide with excitement.

"Rarity, this is wonderful!" He stepped forward and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Oh, I'm so glad you like it! As soon as you told me you'd be working in the music scene, I knew it was of the utmost importance for you to look the part. So I special made this fedora just for you! They're really in fashion right now." She giggled, shooting him a wink.

"Thanks, Rarity! I love it!" Spike looked at himself in a nearby mirror. "Now I can look sexy and stylish!" he laughed, earning a small laugh in return.

"That you will, Spike. So, you ready for your first night of work, with uh, what was her name?" Rarity walked over to her couch and took a seat.

"Vinyl Scratch." Spike turned to face his friend. "And yea, I'm ready. I'm kind of nervous, though. I've never been to this club before."

"Pop Rocks, correct? I've never been there either, but I know it's relatively popular with the ponies in town. Especially the younger crowd. Cloudchaser and Flitter are regulars there, I hear."

"Well, hopefully I'll see some ponies I know. Either way, Vinyl said this job is really fun! And maybe there will be a local band or something playing too, and I'll get a free concert out of it." Spike thought to himself about the possibilities of his first day of work.

"Well, I am happy for you, Spike! I wish I could come see your first show tonight, but I'm just so swamped with work right now." She sent a sad look in the young dragon's direction.

"Don't worry about it, Rarity. There'll be a lot more in the future. Plus, I'm not sure this is exactly your ideal hangout place."

"Perhaps you're right. But I will make sure to come see you, soon. It's my responsibility as your friend!" She shot a warm grin at Spike. "Now, it's almost time for you to be at work, and you mustn't be late on your first day! That's terrible form."

Spike quickly glanced at a clock hanging on a nearby wall. "Whoa! I only have thirty minutes to get there!" Spike took stock of himself in the mirror one final time. "I gotta go, Rarity. Thanks for the awesome hat!" He quickly gave the mare a tight hug and made his way to the front door.

"No problem, dear! Have a good first day, and do let me know how it goes!"

Spike looked around the empty room from his location on the stage. It was a relatively small club with a bar on one end, a small stage on the other and a dance floor in between.

He had just finished setting up the music equipment to Vinyl's specifications, and there was still forty-five minutes until the club opened. He ventured off to the prep room behind the stage where the unicorn was at.

He glanced around the small room, quickly spotting her looking through a stack of music albums. "Hey, Vinyl? Everything is set up."

"Really? You're awesome!" She lifted her hoof up, giving Spike a quick hoof bump. "I'll come out and make sure everything's right in just a second. I'm just looking over some music to find some new material to add to my playlist." She looked over a couple more albums before selecting two and walked toward the exit. "These should do. Alright, Spike, let's see if everything looks good."

Spike followed her through the door to the stage. She quickly scanned over the speaker wiring, the keyboard, synthesizer and the computer system. He twiddled his thumbs, awaiting her response.

"Well, Spike. Looks great! Awesome job. We'll be able to rock this place tonight!" She flashed him a smile of approval.

"Thanks!" He shot her a proud smile. "So, what's on the agenda tonight? Are there any other artists playing or anything?"

"Actually, I'm glad you asked! We're actually just playing warm-up tonight for a different band. They're an underground band from Manehatten called I See Sombra."

Spike searched his memory banks for any information he might know about this band. "Huh, I don't think I've heard them before."

"Doesn't surprise me. They've never played any shows in this area before. But, I went to school with a couple of the dudes in the band, so I know them pretty well."

"That's cool. What kind of music do they play?" Spike asked, curiously.

"They're pretty much your basic metalcore band. Breakdowns, slam riffs, melodic choruses… you get the gist," she said nonchalantly.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with that in my book." Spike chuckled lightly. "But wait a sec. If we're only playing warm-up, how long on stage do we get?"

"Thirty minutes, so we're not getting a whole lot of pay from the club tonight. But, one of my friends in the band asked me if I could write and perform a synth lead for a new song they're playing tonight! So, you know what that means?" Her mouth grew into an excited grin.

"You get to play on stage with them?!"

"Yep! And there's supposed to be a decent turnout for their show tonight, so it's an awesome chance to get some notoriety!"

"That's so cool! I've always wanted to be able to rock out with a band on-stage." Spike grin fell ever so slightly.

"Well, you'll be up there with me, of course!" She shot him a warm smile. "Besides, I'll need some help with the keyboard section I wrote in to their song, and you said you can play the piano, right?"

"Uhh, yeah! Well, kind of." Spike shuffled his feet nervously.

"Can you read sheet music?"

"Yes, I can!"

"Perfect! You'll do great. It's just a simple synth filler for the background. Nothing complicated. I'll be rocking the complex stuff." She winked at him with a cocky smile. "Now, we've got about thirty more minutes before the doors open, so I'd like to know a bit more about you," she stated, while walking back into the prep room with Spike.

"Um, okay. What do you want to know?"

"Well, if I remember correctly, you had something to do with fixing that disaster in the Crystal Empire a few years back, right?" Vinyl said, taking a seat on of the chairs in the room.

"Ha, yeah, that was me." Spike blushed slightly, surprised that she was actually bringing up such old news.

"I thought so. I was looking through some old news magazines and stuff last night, and I found an old article about it. They had a picture of the Element Bearers, and you were in it, too. Your face was covered up by an advertisement, but I assumed it was you."

Spike silently cursed the magazine editor, remembering that article far too well.

"Well, what I was gonna ask is, what's it like to be famous? Like, you live with a princess, and you helped save an empire. That's pretty sweet. And that means something coming from me." She gave him a small smirk.

"Actually, I'm not famous at all. Sure, I live with Princess Twilight, but pretty much all the attention goes to her. I'm just the tag-along as far as the public eye is concerned. Like, the Princess of the Crystal Empire herself pretty much said 'thanks' once, and that was it. Twilight and the other elements got parades, medals, news stories and mass media attention." Spike looked down at his feet. "But, that's just how it goes when you're an assistant."

Vinyl looked at him with a tinge of sympathy. "I know that feeling. Trust me."

"You do?" Spike looked up with a curious expression.

"Yea. But that's another story for another time." She waved the thought away with a swipe of her hoof. "But don't worry, Spike. As my assistant, I'll make sure you get your props. Nobody gets left behind with me." She gave the dragon a friendly smile.

"Thanks, Vinyl. I appreciate it." He returned with his own warm smile.

"Now, if you're gonna be on stage though, you gotta have presentation."

"Presentation?" Spike scratched his head.

"Yeah. You gotta have a look, and a name that people will remember. For example, mine stage name is DJ PON-3, and I always wear these when performing." She pointed up at the sunglasses hanging on her forehead. "I noticed you were carrying a pretty sweet hat when you came in."

Spike looked over to the desk in the room where he set it down when he arrived. "Yea, one of my friends made that for me."

"Well, it's a great look for you, so that's gonna be your signature style, alright?" She levitated the hat over to him with her magic. "Now, you just need a wicked stage name…" Vinyl put her hoof to her chin, turning the gears in her mind. "If we can bring something about your… dragon side to light, that'd be perfect."

Spike thought for a moment. "Ooh, I got it! How about, 'The Big D'?"

"Umm, let's not use that," she said, trying to stifle a laugh. "Well, as far as dragons go, you're pretty awesome, so how about… the 'Bad Baby Dragon'?!"

"Oh, come on. I'm not really a baby anymore. I'm only a couple years younger than you." Spike gave her an annoyed look.

"Well, I know that, but it has a ring to it, and it's easily abbreviated! It's perfect! DJ PON-3 and the BBD rocking the crowd." She sat back with a content smile. "It just rolls off the tongue."

As much as he detested being referred to as a baby, it sounded pretty good. "Alright, that'll do. Now, what do you want me to do during our warm-up show?" Spike sent her a questioning glance.

"Your job is gonna be volume and equalizer control. Basically, if you think it's too loud, too quiet, or needs a change in sound effects, you fix it how you want. Think you can do that?"

"Definitely!" Spike couldn't help but smile. He was actually gonna be on stage, rocking out for a crowd in just a few minutes. "And during the performance with the other band, I just play the synth piece you wrote?"

"Yep. I have the keys and everything mapped out in my computer you set up, so you'll have everything you need." Vinyl glanced at a nearby clock. "We've still got ten minutes left, so I want you to hear something before we get on. Follow me."

Spike followed her out to the stage again, where she began typing something into her computer. "I'm gonna play you a song from I SEE SOMBRA. This is one I provided some electronic noise for off their first demo album. Wasn't very popular, though." A couple seconds later, she found and selected the desired track, whilst making sure the volume was on full blast.

Spike stood at a comfortable distance as the song started up. He was greeted with a simple, yet haunting synth lead. "It sounds pretty good, but it's nothing sp-"

He didn't get to finish that sentence as a bone crushing riff shook the entire room, followed by possibly the heaviest synth vibration he had ever heard.

'**PUT YOUR HOOVES WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!'**

Spike stood slack-jawed at the pure aggression of the music and the vocals. Every beat, every riff and every drop made his heart stop.

The song eventually settled into a modern rock sound, allowing a much needed breath of air from the brutality at the beginning. And then came Vinyl's amazingly catchy dubstep break.

"Vinyl!" Spike tried to shout over the ear splitting ear assault she was playing. "This is amaz-"

Spike forced himself quiet, as out of nowhere, the music lulled, leaving nothing but the haunting synth lead once more. That could only mean one thing.

'**PUT YOUR HOOVES WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!'**

Spike found himself falling to the floor from the floor shaking beneath him. All the while, Vinyl was at her computer, a huge grin plastered on her face, completely lost in the music she helped create.

The song eventually ended in a breathtaking breakdown, and Spike was left, mouth agape on the ground.

"So, Spike! What'd you think?" Vinyl walked over and closed his mouth with a hoof.

"That. Was. INSANE! I didn't even know a synthesizer was capable of producing something like that." Spike shot her a look of amazement. "How is that not a massive hit?!"

"Eh, most ponies don't buy into the genre mixing thing too much. I'm hoping to change that eventually." Her lips curled into a confident smirk. "But I gotta tell you something, Spike."

"What's that?" he said, returning to his feet.

"If you liked that, just wait 'till you see what I have planned for tonight. You haven't heard anything yet." She put her sunglasses on as the first customers began walking into the room. "It's showtime!"

Spike gulped down his excitement. This was going to be a wild night.


	3. Flitter on Twitter

Heart Invasion 101 by FamousLastWords

* * *

Flitter on Twitter

Spike's first taste of a live performance was exhilarating. Granted, Vinyl was pretty much the one doing everything, and they only got to play thirty minutes of club music for maybe fifty ponies that were mainly there for the headlining band, but that didn't matter. It felt amazing!

The feel of the bass pulsating through the room, the crowd dancing and moving in time with the music, getting to stand right next to the artist behind it all- it was one of the most exciting moments of his life.

Spike and Vinyl were relaxing in the prep room after the initial performance. It went off without a hitch, and Spike was proud of himself.

"Thanks for the help. You rocked it out there on stage!" Vinyl pushed her sunglasses to her forehead and sent a wink towards the dragon.

"Thanks," Spike responded with a red face. "But it's not like I really did anything besides fixing the volume and stuff. You were the one playing the awesome music! Everypony out there was loving it."

"Yeah, but volume control is just as important! Trust me on that one." Vinyl chuckled to herself while taking a seat in one of the chairs. "But just wait until we get out on stage with I.S.S tonight. Then you'll see what a real show looks like."

Spike contemplated what it was going to be like performing with an actual band. The crowd screaming, jumping, chanting the lyrics. Maybe he'd even do a crowd surf! "This is going to be so cool!" Spike jumped in place, sporting a wide-eyed grin.

"Yep! Oh, that reminds me. Did you get a chance to look over the piano notes I'm having you play?" Vinyl levitated a soda from across the room while giving Spike a questioning glance.

"Yes, ma'am! It was pretty simple stuff, if I do say so myself. It's gonna' be a piece of cake." He gave the unicorn a confident grin and sat down in a chair next to her.

"Awesome! The band should be coming in a few minutes, and you'll get to meet them." She noticed Spike's body tense up at the thought. "And don't worry, they're really cool." She gave him a quick smile before taking a quick sip of her soda. "All this means for us is we've got some time to kill before they arrive."

"Alright. What do you normally do between performances?" Spike asked.

Vinyl immediately donned a smirk on her face and rose from her chair. "C'mon. I'll show you!"

Spike followed her out to the stage once again. He looked out to the audience area, and his eyes widened. The number of ponies had easily tripled from what it was during their warm up performance.

"Wow! This band must be more popular than I thought." Spike looked back over the crowd before turning his gaze to Vinyl.

"I imagine a lot of these ponies are fans from out of town. But yeah, they're a pretty solid music group, so I expected there'd be a large turnout." Vinyl walked over to the side of the stage, Spike following behind. "Now, here's something I like to do. I look at the audience I'll be performing for and try to see what I can tell about individual ponies from the way they act or whatever."

Spike gave her a confused look. "So, you basically look at the audience and try to make blind judgments about what kind of pony they are?"

"Yep! It sounds weird, but it's actually pretty fun, and it helps me figure out what kind of crowd I'm gonna be playing for." Vinyl gave him a small smile.

"Alright, I suppose I could try."

"Cool. I'll start." Vinyl scanned her eyes over the crowd before picking out her target. "Ahh, see that pony over there? The one at the bar?"

Spike looked over in the direction she was signifying and noticed a magenta pony taking a shot of some alcoholic beverage. "Yea, I see her."

"She's totally an alcoholic. That was like, the fifth shot she's had so far." Vinyl shot her glance toward Spike. "Alright. Now it's your turn."

"Hmm…" Spike looked around the crowd trying to spot anything useful. "Oh, look at those mares over there." He thrust his claw in the direction of two mares talking on the side of room. "If I remember correctly, their names are Lyra and Bon-Bon."

"What about 'em?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure they're a couple, and here on a date."

"And what brought you to that conclusion?"

"They're standing next to each other!"

"Oh, that makes sense." Vinyl gave him a quick smile before turning her eyes to the crowd once more. "Let me see here… Oh, check the player stallion over there."

Spike turned his gaze toward the crowd and spotted a stallion he instantly recognized as Thunderlane. He was surrounded by three mares and was clearly flirting with them.

"Somepony's getting some action tonight." The unicorn jokingly nudged Spike, before she noticed his gaze had not shifted from the stallion. "Uh, Spike? What's up?"

"That stallion is dating my best friend." Rarity had started dating Thunderlane a few weeks prior, and she was very happy with him. Hearing about this was going to hurt her so much. "I'm gonna have to tell her about this." Spike's face contorted for a moment.

"Whoa… that's gonna be awkward." She shot the dragon a brief empathetic glance. "Maybe we should head back to the prep room. The band should be here any time now."

"Yeah, let's do that." Spike shook off the idea of having to explain the situation to Rarity and followed Vinyl back to the prep room.

A few minutes passed as the two talked about the upcoming show, but the talking ceased when five stallions entered the room.

"Hey, guys! Long time no see!" Vinyl walked over to the group of stallions and gave a quick hug to each of them. "Spike, these guys are I See Sombra. Guys, this is Spike, my new partner in crime."

"Hey! Nice to meet you guys!" Spike stood up and introduced himself, giving a nervous wave.

"You ready to rock tonight, Spike?" a medium sized black stallion with a scruffy blonde mane said. The whole band seemed to be pretty young, maybe just a few years older than himself.

"Definitely! I've never played in front of a crowd like this before, so I'm pretty nervous, though." Spike turned his gaze to his feet.

"Don't worry, man, you'll do great!" This time it was a silver stallion with a black mane talking. "And besides, you're working with Vinyl. She knows what she's doing." The stallion sent a friendly wink to the unicorn in question.

"Yeah, I can't argue with that, he-he. Now, when are you guys playing the song we're gonna jump in on?" Vinyl cast the band a curious glance.

"It's gonna be the final song for the night, so that'll put it at song number seven." The black stallion brought a piece of paper to Vinyl that contained the set list.

"Okay, so what do we do until then?" Spike questioned.

"I guess we can just hang in here until it's time," Vinyl responded.

"Sounds like a plan!" one of the band members stated. "Well, we've gotta get on stage now, so we're heading out. Hope you enjoy the show, guys!" With that, the band took their exit one by one to the stage.

Spike could hear uproarious applause from outside the room as the band took to the stage. "Wow, there's a lot more ponies here now."

"Yeah," his partner said in a somewhat saddened tone.

Spike noticed her eyes travel to the floor and the sides of her mouth drop ever so slightly. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing." She brought her lips to a small smile. "I'm just always hoping I'll have crowds like this come to my shows some day."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I take it you don't play big shows very often?"

"Yeah, you'd be correct." Vinyl chuckled softly to herself. "The largest crowd I've ever played for was about 100 or so ponies at an underground club in Manehatten. Other than that, it's mainly small gigs like this with no more than fifty or sixty ponies."

"Well, don't worry, you'll get there some day for sure." Spike gave her warm smile, earning one in return. "And besides, now that you've got me helping you, fame will be inevitable." He gave her a look of mock arrogance, causing both of them laugh.

"Ha-ha, man, it's nice not being alone on these performances. It would get pretty boring by myself."

"Wait, so I'm your first assistant?" Spike looked at her with curiosity.

"Well, yea… kind of. Octavia used to come to the shows occasionally, but this wasn't really her scene, you know?" she said matter-of-factly.

Spike thought back to when he met the grey mare. An orchestral note for a cutie mark; that perfectly placed pink bowtie… "Yeah, I can totally see that."

"Exactly. So, it's nice to have someone to talk to for once. Especially someone who has such an awesome taste in music," she said with a smile.

"Well, I'm glad to be here. It's nice to feel appreciated for once." The dragon let out a sigh and took a seat.

"What do you mean?" Vinyl moved to take a seat next to the dragon.

"Well, remember what I told you about always getting left out of the public eye, and getting ignored all the time?" Spike turned his gaze to the unicorn now sitting next to him.

"Yeah, I remember."

"Well, it's kind of like that in general life, also. I mean, I work hard every day around the home for Twilight, and I rarely even get a simple 'thank you' anymore." Spike dropped his head into his palms.

"That's not cool. Have things always been like that?"

"No. That's the thing. When Twilight became a Princess, it's like she slowly started becoming a different pony. She used to be warm and affectionate, and treat me like a friend. Now it's like I'm just an assistant, and my sole purpose is to make her life easier! I actually feel more like an employee at home than I do here. And this is my first day on the job!" The young dragon threw his claws in the air. "It's not right."

Vinyl placed a hoof on the dragon's shoulder. "Hey Spike, I know where you're coming from here. I've been there. I'm really sorry."

"Thanks. I mean, I love Twilight. She's always been the only family I've really had, but now it's not like that anymore." Spike felt a tear roll down his cheek. "I wish things could go back to how they were."

"Alright, listen here." Vinyl nudged Spike's shoulder, getting him to turn his attention back to her. "Change is a part of life. And a lot of the time, it sucks. Like, seriously sucks. But, it has to happen. If things always stayed the same, life would never move on. You get what I'm saying?"

Spike processed her words for a second. She had a point. Things needed to change or his life would never go anywhere. "I think so."

"Good." Vinyl wrapped him in a brief hug, much to Spike's surprise. "Now, lose the tears. If this conversation got any sappier they could make a romance story based on us."

Spike couldn't help but smile and laugh at the thought. "It'd be a pretty terrible romance if I was in it!"

The two shared a brief laugh before Vinyl finally continued the conversation. "Now, on to a different topic of interest, how exactly does a dragon like yourself end up with a princess in Equestria anyway?" She flashed him a curious look. "I mean, what I've always heard is that Celestia gave you to Twilight as a present or something. Any truth in that?"

"Well, your close. I was basically a test at magic school for Twilight. She had to hatch my egg, and as a reward, she got to keep me."

"Oh." Vinyl's mouth turned into a frown. "That doesn't sound very fair to you."

"Yeah, I've never agreed with it, either. But I was too young to know a difference back then, obviously." Spike let out a small sigh. "Doesn't matter anymore, though. An activist group put an end to it awhile back. That's why you don't see any other dragons around."

"Ahh, I see." She was about to drop the subject when her face suddenly turned into a look of shock. "Wait! I have to ask a question!"

"Umm, okay." Spike was bit taken aback by her sudden outburst.

"If you were taken to Equestria as an egg, what happened to-"She was interrupted as a massive bass drop shook the entire room, followed by an ear splitting guitar riff.

"Whoa!" Spike got up from his chair and walked over to the door. "I guess we'll have to finish this later!" he shouted to where Vinyl could hear him.

"Funny, they said this room was soundproof. I guess not!" Vinyl shouted back.

Spike cracked open the door and looked out. The band was playing full force and the crowd was going wild. The blonde maned black stallion he saw earlier was screaming at the top of his lungs, and the silver one was providing excellent clean vocals to back it up. A mosh pit had already formed from what he could see, and there was no room on the floor to be seen between the multitudes of ponies.

"Wow."

"They play a great live show." Vinyl was looking out the door with him, standing overhead.

"And we're gonna be out there in just a few minutes." Spike's jaw dropped and his heart rate increased as the thought came to life once more.

"Yep! It's gonna be so awesome! Do you think you're ready? There's a lot more ponies out there than there were before." She tilted her head down to look at the dragon below her.

"I hope so." Spike looked once again at the beautiful scene in front of him. Every pound of the drums, every slam of the breakdown, and every vibration of the bass drop coursed through him making him that much more excited. "Yeah, I'm ready!"

For the next thirty minutes the two watched the show unfold from their hidden location behind the stage. Spike had to resist the urge to just run to the stage and jump into the crowd. There was so much energy, so much power and emotion, and he was ready to be a part of it.

"EVERYPONY! This is our final song, and it's a brand new one!" The crowd went wild at hearing the vocalists' declaration. "And we'd like to introduce a special guest for this one."

"Spike! That's are cue. Let's get out there!" Vinyl nudged the dragon out the door with her muzzle.

Spike gulped down a lump of anxiousness and made his way out to the stage, Vinyl right behind.

"GIVE IT UP FOR _VINYL SCRATCH_!"

Vinyl waved one of her hooves toward the crowd with a quick nod and smile.

"AND _SPIKE, THE BAD BABY DRAGON_!"

Spike felt his cheeks instantly flame up. He gave a small wave to the crowd and was greeted by a large round of cheers and claps.

The two took their place behind Vinyl's music setup. They both took a deep, synchronized breath, getting ready to perform.

Spike looked out at the audience from his spot and felt a shiver run up his spine. There were so many ponies, and they all seemed to be staring right at him. His claws started shaking and his heart suddenly seemed to stop. A hoof on his shoulder quickly snapped him out of his episode.

"Don't worry, Spike. You got this." She flashed him a quick smile before turning her attention back to her computer.

"PONYVILLE! I WANNA SEE THIS PLACE GO CRAZY!" The band member looked to Spike and gave him a wink.

Spike moved over to the keyboard. He was tasked with starting the song off with his synth intro. Luckily, the piece was incredibly simple and he had the entire track committed to memory.

He slowly placed his claws to the keys and began playing. It started off slow, but picked up quickly. His mind blocked everything out around him: the dimming lights, the other ponies on stage, and the claps and cheers he was receiving from the audience.

On cue, the vocalist from the band picked up, and the song entered into a breathtaking riff that only served to heighten the intensity. His first piece was over before he knew it however, and he took a deep breath.

'Good job, Spike.' He mentally patted himself on the back for successfully dolling out the first part, but the song was far from over.

He glanced at the crowd who were now entranced by the gentle music now being played by the band along with the soothing vocals now being sung. However, that all came to end as soon as Vinyl was up.

The music all died down save for an ominous melody coming from Vinyl's speakers. Before he had a chance to digest the sudden shift, his thoughts were cut short.

"**Watch all your plans break right BENATH YOUR HOOVES**!"

In perfect synchronization, the guitarists and Vinyl unleashed a massive synth breakdown that shook the entire room. The crowd went wild with ponies moshing, stage diving and cheering. It was a relentless assault of blistering guitar riffs and bone crushing dub step melodies.

It was amazing.

Vinyl seemed to have complete control over the crowd. Every beat and every rhythm she produced led to more cheers and energy. Judging from the massive grin plastered on her face, Spike could tell she was doing what she loved.

The song continued on in a more settled tone until finally reaching a climax of another breakdown that left nothing but a winded audience in its wake. Spike looked up at his partner, and noticed that the huge grin had never left her face, despite the fact the song had ended and the show was over.

"Vinyl! You were amazing! That was- I just- I can't even- That was awesome!" The young dragon was leaping up and down, heart still racing with energy.

"Thanks, bud! You were awesome, too! Every note and every pitch correction was perfect!" Vinyl gave the dragon a quick hoof bump and a wink.

After packing up all the equipment into Vinyl's carriage and collecting their pay, the two exited the building and were getting ready to part ways.

"So, when's my next work day?" Spike said, excitement barely contained.

"Well, I've got a show in Manehatten on Sunday actually. It's at a small place, but a job is a job." She shrugged her shoulders with a nonchalant smile.

"Sounds good to me. I barely ever get to travel anywhere." Spike gave an unamused look before turning away from her. "Well, it's getting late, so I'm gonna head back home. Night, Vinyl!"

"Spike, wait!" The unicorn ran in front of him, barring his progress. "I was just thinking. You told me earlier that you get kind of lonely sometimes and stuff, so I was thinking me and you should hang out tomorrow! I mean, I'm not doing anything, and if we're gonna be performing together, we might as well be friends, too, right?" She shot him a large smile, and earned one in return.

"Really? Hang out?" He hadn't been asked to just 'hang out' in a long time. "That sounds awesome! Where, and what time?"

"How about noon at Octavia's music shop? That way you can do your chores or whatever first, and we can hang after."

"Definitely! Sounds like a plan. I'll see you tomorrow, then!" Spike was grinning ear to ear.

"See you tomorrow, Spike." With smiles and a final hoof bump the two parted ways after a successful first show together.

Spike however, wasn't smiling because of the success of the performance or the bits he earned.

He was making a new friend.


	4. Mares & Delinquents

AUTHOR NOTE: If you like this story, id appreciate your support on user/FamousLastWords If you could make account over there and give me a follow, id love you forever.

Spike cracked open his eyes, slowly letting in the sunlight's aura. He still felt tired from the excitement of the previous night, but he had a full day ahead of him. There was no time to lay around in bed.

He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and sat up in his bed. He took a quick glance around the familiar surroundings of his room. Posters, personal bookcase, stereo system—everything seemed to be in order.

He hopped off the bed and made his way downstairs to the living room, ready to engage his daily chores. Twilight wasn't awake yet, so hopefully he'd be able to finish and take his leave before she woke up. He didn't exactly feel like explaining his plans with Vinyl to her.

He quickly got to his work. Dusting, sweeping, organizing and food preparation were all on the list, but he was able to finish in a matter of hours.

He was eating some breakfast in the kitchen when he glanced at the clock. It was ten-thirty, so he still had over an hour before his plans with Vinyl. Maybe he'd stop by Rarity's first to tell her about his night. Or maybe he'd just take a better look around Octavia's music shop.

He was about to get up to rinse off his dishes when he heard the familiar sound of Twilight's voice.

"Good morning, Spike! How are you this morning?" The unicorn walked into the kitchen with a smile.

"I'm good. A little tired still from last night, but not a big deal." Spike shrugged slightly and took his used plate to the sink. "I made you a salad, Twi. It's in the fridge if you're hungry."

"Why thank you, Spike." Twilight took a seat at the table and levitated her meal from the fridge to the empty area in front of her. "Oh, how was your show last night, by the way? We didn't get a chance to talk when you got home."

When Spike returned the previous night, Twilight was holed up in her room for whatever reason, so he didn't get even a moment to tell her about it. "It was fun," he said, nonchalantly.

"That's nice. Did you see anyone you knew?" Twilight gave him a passing glance while eating her salad.

"Yeah. Lyra was there with Bon-Bon, and a couple others." Spike looked around the room at nothing in particular.

"Any… special ponies there?" Twilight said with a playful smirk.

"Oh my gosh, Twi." Spike's face blushed, knowing exactly who she was talking about. "Yes, Flitter was there, and no, I didn't talk to her." Spike's eyes rolled in annoyance.

Several months past, Spike had been seeing Flitter regularly. For one, he was impressed that she had the courage to ask him out. Also Twilight was very fond of the idea, given Flitter's reputation as the 'good girl' of the Pegasus community. She was sweet, but things didn't work out.

"Well, if you ask me, you two had a good thing going. I still don't know why you broke it off so suddenly." Twilight gave her assistant a curious look.

"Sorry, Twi, I don't want to talk about it. And, besides, I've moved on. It's not important anymore." Spike drew his gaze to the table he was sitting at. "Getting back to the original topic, no I didn't see anyone else there. I had a lot of fun though."

"Well, that's good." She donned a small smile on her face. "Was there a large crowd there for you and, um, Vinyl was it?"

"When it was just us, there was maybe around fifty or sixty ponies. But when we got to play the final number with I See Sombra, there were at least two hundred. It was amazing!" Spike threw his arms up with an elated smile.

"Well, that definitely sounds like it. I'll make sure to come to your next show, okay?" Twilight shot the dragon a sweet smile.

"Oh, thanks Twi! Speaking of our next show, it's gonna be tomorrow night at a club in Manehatten." Spike's smile quickly disappeared when he saw the look of distaste on Twilight's face.

"Manehatten? At night?! Spike, there'll be nothing but drugs, alcohol and sex everywhere!" Twilight jumped up from her seat.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But it pays well, and besides, you said you wouldn't interfere with my work as long as I got my stuff here done." Spike's face took on a bemused look.

The purple mare opened her mouth to retaliate, but had no response. "Fine." She let out a long sigh. "But I'm not gonna be able to make it tomorrow. I have a special meeting with the mayor in the afternoon to discuss some local ordinances."

Spike felt his mouth droop to a frown. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me," he grumbled.

"What was that, Spike?" Twilight asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Never mind." He got up from his place once more, this time taking the empty dish from Twilight. "Anyway, I'm about to head out. I have some plans today."

"Plans? Are you helping out Rarity again?"

"No…" He didn't exactly want to tell her who he was going to be with, but she could be so nosy sometimes. "Just hanging out with a friend. That's all." He gave her a quick smile and made his way to the door as fast as he could.

"Wait just a second. Who is this friend?" Twilight gave the dragon a suspicious glare.

"Fine, if you must know, it's Vinyl. We're having a hang out day. We're gonna be working a lot together, so it makes sense we could try to be friends, also."

Twilight gave her assistant a scrutinizing look for a moment. "I suppose that makes sense. But, be careful with how close you get. You only met her a few days ago." Twilight gave him a quick glance before turning away.

"Alright, Twilight, I will." Spike popped open the front door and made his way out.

"Oh! And make sure your home before it gets too late! You need to actually get some sleep tonight!" she called out as Spike was leaving.

The young dragon chuckled quietly and made his way to the music shop to meet up with his partner for the afternoon.

Spike stepped into the shop. The smell of clean carpet and fresh wooden instruments wafted through his senses.

"Welcome to… Oh! Hello, Spike." Octavia walked over from a nearby shelf and greeted the dragon with a gentle smile. "How are you doing today?"

"Hello, Ms. Octavia. I'm doing quite well. How are you?" Spike gave the mare a brief gentlemanly bow.

"I'm doing quite well, thank you. What brings you here?"

"I'm meeting Vinyl here." Spike quickly glanced at a nearby clock hanging on the wall. "In about ten minutes to be precise. We're gonna be hanging out around town this afternoon." Spike's smile gave away a large amount of enthusiasm.

"Oh, yes. Vinyl mentioned that last night. She came running into my apartment last night talking about the show and how much fun it was." Octavia let out a small chuckle. "It's nice to see her making some new friends here."

Spike eyed Octavia curiously. "New friends? She seems pretty popular as is."

"Yes, well, suffice it to say most of the friends, and I use that term loosely, that Vinyl has been drawn to in the past weren't exactly the prime example of good association." Her face contorted into a look of disgust for a moment before continuing.

"Ah, I get what you mean." Spike once again looked at Octavia with a questioned glanced. "But aren't you good friends with her? I mean, you seem like a decent pony."

Octavia chuckled to herself briefly. "Thank you, Spike. But unfortunately, work and circumstances keep Vinyl and I from getting together as much as we used to."

"Oh, well that's no fun. But understandable, I suppose." Spike shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Yes. So, that's why I'm glad you and Vinyl are hitting it off so well. You seem a decent fellow, Spike." Octavia gave the dragon a small smile.

Suddenly, they heard the doorbell jingle. "What's going on, guys? Vinyl Scratch is in the house!" The white unicorn made her way to her two friends. "'Sup Octavia. What's going on, Spike?" She gave a quick hoof bump to Spike and gave a quick nod to the other mare.

"Hello, Vinyl," Octavia said with a smile.

"Hey! You ready to have some fun today?" Spike said with a wide grin.

"Definitely!" Vinyl said, shooting a wink towards Spike. However, the group then heard a familiar grumbling sound coming from Vinyl's stomach. "Hehe, as long as having fun includes food. I woke up too late to eat anything at home."

"We'll make food our first stop, then." Spike shot a quick smile at Vinyl before turning his attention back to Octavia. "Well, I'll see you around, Octavia. Have a good one." With a wave Spike made his way toward the exit, closely followed by Vinyl.

"Have fun you two!" Octavia gave a gentle wave as the two left the store.

Spike and Vinyl briskly stepped down the cobblestone path that led through Ponyville. Once couldn't ask for better weather, and there wasn't a single cloud in the sky to block the sun.

"So, what all is on the agenda for us today?" Vinyl looked down at Spike who was walking beside her.

"Well, I figured we'd first grab some food from one of the stalls in the square," Spike replied.

"Definitely sounds like a great start." Vinyl rubbed her empty stomach. "How about after? What is there to do around here?"

"Well, I figured I could show you around a bit, seeing as how you're still pretty new to the area. And I was thinking I could introduce you to my friends, Rarity. She's really nice, and I know she wants to meet you." Spike sent a quick smile up to his new friend.

"Rarity, Rarity… Oh, that's right. The element of generosity. Yeah, sounds good. But why does she want to meet me?" Vinyl asked.

"She's pretty much my best friend, so she's always interested in what I'm doing and who I spend time with." Spike rubbed his chin for a moment and turned to look at Vinyl. "She's kind of like an overprotective marefriend without the jealousy factor." The two burst out in laughter for a moment, attracting attention as they made their way into the town square.

The square was bustling with Saturday afternoon business. Ponies at stalls were bartering and trading with ponies of all kinds, and it didn't appear to be slowing down any time soon.

"So, what do you feel like having?" Spike said to Vinyl.

"Hmm, what are my options?" She scrutinized the various stalls around trying to get an idea of what products were available.

"Well, let's see whose stalls are out today." Spike tried to stand up as high as he could to look around over the traffic. "Ugh, it seriously sucks being short sometimes!"

"Here, let me give you a hoof," Vinyl said with a small giggle. Spike was suddenly enveloped in a bluish glow and levitated onto Vinyl's back. "There you go. Any better?" she questioned while looking back at him.

"Yeah, thanks." He smiled back at her. "Hmm, looks like we've got Carrot Top's carrots, the Asparagus stallion, and… oh! Applejack is here today. Do you like apples?"

"Of course!" She said with a wink.

"Awesome. Then head over to the stall with the orange earth pony with the hat." Spike pointed a claw in the direction of Applejack's apple stand on the outer edge of the square.

The two made their way over and immediately caught the attention of the farm pony.

"Well, howdy there Spike!" She said, tipping her hat to the dragon. "It's nice to see ya! And who might you're friend be?" Applejack questioned, giving a curious smile toward Vinyl.

"The name's Vinyl. Vinyl Scratch." She extended a hoof to Applejack and received a hoof shake in return. "Me and Spike work together."

"Well, it's a pleasure to make yer acquaintance, Vinyl. Any friend of Spike is a friend of mine!" She gave a warm smile to the two. "Now, what brings ya'll 'round here on this fine day?"

"I'm showing Vinyl around town. She's pretty new to the area. Right now though, we decided it was time to get some food." Spike said, eyeing the various Apple products Applejack had on display.

"Well then, you've come to tha right place! Apple fritters, apple pie, apple cobbler, apples on a stick… what you hungry for?" AJ's face grew into a beaming smile as she pointed out her selection of products.

"Oh, wow! That all looks so amazing!" Vinyl eyed each and every delicious apple product, her hunger growing more rampant by the second. "I think I'll take two apple fritters. Those look to good to pass up!"

"Alrighty! And what can I get you, Spike?" The earth pony turned her attention to the dragon still riding on Vinyl's back.

"Umm, I'll take an apple on a stick and a fritter as well! And put it on my tab, AJ." Spike said with a smooth tone.

"Are you sure? I've got bits." Vinyl looked at Spike with a curious gaze.

"I'm sure. I wouldn't be much of a gentledrake if I had the lady of the evening pay, now would I?" Spike let out a small chuckle.

"Well hey. I'm not gonna argue over free food." Vinyl let out a small laugh as Applejack handed them a small bag with their food in it.

"Well, ah thank ya kindly for yer business. It was a pleasure seein' you, Spike. And it was nice to meet ya, Vinyl! Have a great day, you two!" Applejack's face shone a bright smile as she waved at the two and began turning her attention to another customer.

The two friends made their way out of the busy square with their food.

"So, I was thinking we could go eat at the park? They have tables and stuff and it's usually pretty quiet there," Spike said with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"Sounds good to me. Just lead the way!" Vinyl looked back at the dragon on her page, lips curled in a smile.

Spike hopped off and plopped onto the ground. "It's just up the road here." He thrust a claw toward a cobblestone path that led to a small grove of trees and wildlife.

The two hungry friends quickly bounded down to the park and took a seat at one of the picnic tables that were available. With the exception of the occasional couple walking about, it was a peaceful and serene locale.

"Okay, let's see what we got!" Vinyl snatched the bag of food from Spike and levitated out her two fritters. "I'm so hungry!"

Spike reached across the table and took the bag back, and emptied its contents onto the table in front of him. "The apple family make the best apple desserts!" His mouth began dripping at just seeing the deliciousness in front of him. "You're gonna want to take it nice and slow and-"He looked up to see that his friend had already gobbled down the first fritter and was starting on the second one.

"Erm, shrry Shpike, one shec…" She quickly swallowed the food in her mouth with a satisfying grin. "Sorry, I was hungry. Now, what were you saying about nice and slow?"

Spike looked at her for a moment before turning his gaze to the untouched food in front of him. He erupted into a brief fit of laughter before taking a bite of his fritter. "Hehe, nothing."

After the two finished their meal, an awkward silence ensued. Spike searched his mind for something to say to the unicorn who was now twiddling her hooves across from him.

"So… nice weather, huh?" Spike sent a smile across the table.

"Yeah, I like the fact there's actually fresh air here. In the city, not so much." As if to further her point, she took in a deep breath of air. "I could get used to this."

"It is a pretty nice town. But it gets kinda boring sometimes," Spike said with a slight frown. "I imagine things were at least more exciting in Manehatten."

"Well, it comes down to your definition of exciting. There were a lot more things to do, sure. But for the most part, it was the same scene over and over again. Go out with my friends, play a show, come back home to me and Octavia's overpriced apartment… It got old pretty fast." She moved her head to rest on one of her hooves. "What about you? Do you ever think about getting away?"

Spike had to think for a moment before answering. "Well, this is where all my friends are. And it has been my home for some time now." Spike gently stroked his chin in thought. "I do really like it here. I just want to try something new. I've been with Twilight for so long and it's gotten so stale as of late."

"I feel ya, bro. Well, if anything, working with me will definitely help you get out more." Vinyl shot him a sincere smile. Her features suddenly sparked with excitement however. "I almost forgot, I was gonna ask you something before the performance last night, but we get cut off."

Spike racked his brain to remember their previous conversation from the night before. "Oh, yeah! We were talking about how I originally was given to Twilight if I remember correctly."

"Yeah. So, you said that your egg was taken to Equestria for the magic test, right?" Vinyl took off her glasses and placed the on the table.

"Yep. What about it?"

"Well, if you don't mind me asking, where were your parents in all this? I mean, from what I've heard, dragons take care of their young until they're old enough to hunt for themselves. They should've been there, right?"

Spike looked directly into Vinyl's magenta eyes for a moment before shifting his gaze to the table. "I don't know," Spike said, barely above a whisper.

"What?" Vinyl said, a curious look adorning her face.

"I don't know. I was never told, and anypony I ask doesn't know either." Spike let out a long sigh. "I try not to think about it too much."

Vinyl just stared at him. Her eyes widened as she thought about what she just heard. "You don't know? They just took you away and never said anything to you about your family? That's horrible!"

"Yeah, well, that's how things go, I guess. I kinda came to terms awhile back with the fact I'll probably never know my family." Spike looked up to see Vinyl's face laced with a sympathy.

"But, that's so wrong. What if your parents were just like, out hunting or something and they come back to an empty nest?! Or what if you were taken by force? I just, I don't like it." She sat back in her seat and quickly put her sunglasses back on, but not before a stray tear fell down her cheek.

"Vinyl, it's okay. I mean, I never really knew them. And it's been outlawed since then anyway." He briefly stroked her hoof and sent her a small smile. Needless to say, he was a bit surprised by her strong reaction.

"Sorry," said Vinyl, fighting back any more tears from making an appearance. "It's just a touchy subject for me."

Spike was about to question why, but thought better of it for the moment. "Well, now that we're done eating, you ready for a personal tour of the town?" Spike stood up from his seat, excitement emanating from his demeanor.

Vinyl quickly got up from her seat with a large smile. "You know it! Let's see what this town has to offer!"

The two spent the afternoon touring the town's various places of interest. Spike made sure to show her the various shops and stands along with taking her out to Sweet Apple Acres and the edge of the Everfree Forest. They talked about everything that came to mind including future work plans, Spike's favourite books and Vinyl's preferred flavor of ice cream. The weather stayed perfect as the two went about the day, culminating in a wonderful afternoon for the duo.

As the day was winding down, Spike had one final stop before they went separate ways.

"A dress shop?" Vinyl looked down at Spike, eyes cocked in skepticism.

"Yep!" Spike beamed a smile back at her.

Vinyl eyed the building in front of her. "No offense, Spike, but dresses, lace, clothing in general… not really my thing."

"Well, it's not the clothing design part we're here for. It's for the pony that owns it!"

"Oh! This is where Rarity works?" Vinyl questioned.

"That's right! And I want to introduce you, so let's pay her a visit!" Spike gently rapped his knuckles on the door.

The door quickly swung open to reveal the beautiful white unicorn. "Welcome, to- Oh, Spikey! What a wonderful surprise!" Rarity's face took on a graceful smile toward the dragon. "Unfortunately dear, I'm terribly busy at the moment, and-"She suddenly shifted her gaze to Vinyl who was standing just behind the dragon. "And I'm sure I could spare a minute or two to talk!"

"Thanks, Rares!" Spike stepped inside the building, closely followed by Vinyl, who was glancing around at her surroundings.

"Now, who might this be?" Rarity said, smiling at the fellow unicorn. "My name is Rarity."

"Yo! Nice to meet you. The name's Vinyl." Vinyl shot a relaxed smile at Rarity. "I work with Spike."

"Oh, yes! He is the most helpful little worker isn't he?" Rarity sent a discreet wink at the young dragon.

"Yeah, the little dude is pretty awesome." Vinyl smiled at Spike who was standing next to her. "We're actually heading out to Manehatten tomorrow for a club show."

"Yeah! It's gonna be awesome! I've never been to a city night club before!" Spike jumped in place, exuding excitement.

"Ooh! Manehatten! I do love the fashion culture of the city!" Rarity let out a dreamy sigh.

"Hey, I know! Maybe you could come to the show? I'll take care of your cover charge and everything." Spike's face sparked a grin.

"Oh, sweetie, that's a lovely idea! But I just don't know. This entire weekend is so busy. Perhaps you could ask Twilight to come?" Rarity gave him a gentle smile.

"Eh, Twilight doesn't really have time for anything anymore." Spike's face turned to a quick frown before turning to a smile just as quickly. "Maybe next time, Rarity."

Rarity immediately began nibbling her lower lip in thought. "Tell you what, Spike. I'll do my absolute best to be there tomorrow night to see you."

Spike's face immediately grew into elation. "Really? That'd be great!"

"Of course. I wouldn't be able to call myself your friend if I didn't support you the way you support me." Rarity bent down and quickly nuzzled his cheek briefly.

Vinyl cracked a smirk and nudged Spike with her hoof. "Wow, you've already got yourself a fan club going."

"What can I say? Awesomeness comes with the territory of being me." Spike shrugged with mock arrogance, and the three broke out in laughter.

"Well, Spike, thank you so much for stopping by, but I really do have work to do. Especially if I want to make it to your performance tomorrow," Rarity said.

"Alrighty. We'll head out then. Thanks so much, Rarity!" Spike enveloped Rarity in a tight hug before turning toward the door.

"It was nice meeting you, Rarity. I hope you enjoy the show!" Vinyl gave a small wave of her hoof and headed toward the door with Spike.

"I'm sure I will. And it was nice to meet you, also! Have a fantastic day, you two." Rarity waved to the two as they left.

"Well… You certainly have a way with the mares." Vinyl chuckled and nudged a now blushing dragon.

"Yeah, well, we've been friends for a long time." Spike led Vinyl away from the boutique and back toward the road.

"Just friends, huh?" Vinyl said with a smirk.

"If you must know, I used to really like her. But now she's just my best friend. Why? You jealous?" Spike sent her a sly grin and laughed to himself.

"Yeah, you wish!" Vinyl and Spike broke into a brief fit of laughter.

"Well, it's getting late now. I should probably head back to the library." Spike slipped into a frown.

"Yeah, you're probably right. I had a great time today! Just wondering, though: Are you ever gonna take me to see your place sometime? You were kinda avoiding it today."

"Sure. Just when Twilight isn't around preferably. She's a little… touchy when it comes to who I hang out with." Spike took on an annoyed look.

"Say no more, I get it. Another time, then. Anyway, maybe I'll show you my apartment next time. It's not much, but I do have a beast recording setup in there. We could play around with making songs and stuff if you want." Vinyl cracked a small smile at the thought.

"Definitely! I'd like that." Spike responded with a smile in kind.

The two friends stood there for a few seconds in silence before the awkwardness was finally broken.

"Well, I, um, should get going now." Spike laughed nervously.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow, Spike." The two shared their customary hoof bump and walked away from each other, both with large smiles spread across their faces.


End file.
